New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-20
RECENT POETRY,

RECENT POETRY.
THE HEART OF THE WEED 1Gmo, PIP. vii, 100
Houghton, M,iiu 4 Co.
WITH REED AND LYRE. BY CLSToS scoLLARD
1Gmo. PIP. viii, 49, ID. Lothrop & Co.
FOR LOVES SAKE Poems of Faith and Comfort BY
MAEGAELT ). Preston. 16mo, PIP l43 Arson d.
f. Randolph Go.
RIsIFrs DAUGHTER. A Drama. rs ANNA KATHARINE
GREEN. 16mo PIP 100. G. p PGtnam's Sons.
BALLADS OF THE REVOLUTION aud other Poems
BY GEORGE lansing RAYMOND 1Gmo, PIP. 1911 o.
r. Pntnams Sons.
sONNETs IN SHADOW. ARLo BATES 16mo Roberts
Brothers.
An abundance of good verse is produced in the
United states at tie present time, ard the 1tan-
THY. if not the quality, Of it has been growing
steadily greater for several years. IL is dis
tlnSu>hcd for its elc~ant ard often dainty form.
It's graceful movements its iust fcelins, lis true
perception of nature, its qui' k response 10 tho
simpler human emotions IL neither sounds tho
n"tc OF strong passion nor rises TO the upper
rcalr'> If fancy. IL is not stirring. 1t Is no. N
aGlaat"Nc, 1t j. not foicblc. and only IN rare
cases is it truly pathctic; but it is refined ten
der, ingenious, ard, in the best sense of the worn
niimental. In short it is an interesting art
product, Typical # IN eia cf extensive culture
fastidious taste and slight creative impulse. L
VIC were asked the NEST decided Of all it, char
actciistics we should say good taste. Tic diff
ference between enc Of our new poets and another
u'cS HJb tIicil 10 bOA OLu SUI tlUful NUldHctt
Of temperament and inequalities Of technical
training. The fist two books which we hi> {
cited above are good examples Of both the merits
and shortcomings Of the whole school. Each con.
tains an abundance Of pretty and wcll-linishcd
work. with some pieces of eXccI tional beauty. and
one or two in which the poetical spirit is radiant
The anonymous author Of Tho Heart Of The
Weed is woman. we should attribute to hcI
UNUSUAL dclicacy and fervor Of feeling and readi-
ness Of sympathy, and rcnsvc habit which i
saved from morbid melancholy 10y being closely
associated with aTcctionac impulses The emo
tional, the reflective ana the aesthetic minclc in
her verse in a piluant combination. She has =
great fOndness for the restrictions Of highly anti
fetal forms. and she manages the sonnet witt
especial neatness. Mr.. Scollard. might
infer from his title "With Reed and lyrc." l.
also addicted to the solution Of mctrical puzzles
lie is successful with them, and may he called
an adept in a kind Of popular literary anusc-
ment which could not flourish in a time of true
poetical productiveneSS Ills pieces arc more
varied than those Of the writer prey iously men
toned, less pcrs,nal less uniformly polished les
exactly nice in expression, bnt they have bright.
ness and swing Of their own and They give prom
Use.
Mrs. Prcst0n's religious poetry has some Of The
literary cDdrdctcflStlcS we nave SlNjN'n vi rs Wv
marks of the time. She suipasscs most Of ou
devotional verse writers in the union Of the re
ligious and literary elements, and very large
proportion Of her pieces is equally colnmcndablc
for simple ious, genuine feeling and for artistic
conception and choice language
The drama of "Risfs Daughter is n tragedy
in blank verse which does not rise above certain
mid-level of propriety and on the other hand
does not fall into prose. The story is more inter
csting than the poetry but the close Is devised
in a spirit of false sentiment
Mr.. Raymond has loaded his ballads Of tile
Revolution with quotations from Bancroft In
the notes, sayings of celebrated in the text
and O multitude of other useful information. lis
muse cannot step very brislSly with so much bag
gage, and we are not sure that she could without
it.
The sonncts in which Mr.. AIlo Ratcs records one
of the most painful of experiences are obviously
Of too personal O character To be proper subjects
Tor critical comment Intense feeling is expressed
in every line OF them and although The gref To
which they give voice IS unctvcd by any ray Of
consolation, and the resolution TO aspire AMI Ell
dure in which the moulncr at last seeks refuge
is the result OF stole sense f duty rather than
OF the whispers of faith and hope, There are
doubtless many who VIII find in the little book Il
copy OF their own sorrows, and VIII take saVis-
faction i'll the companlonshlp.